Lake Michigan: Effects of Exploitation, Introductions, and Eutrophication on the Salmonid Community

Abstract

Lake Michigan surface area is 22,400 square miles and its main depth is 276 ft. Its fauna is generally typical of North American oligotrophic lakes. The original fish populations included 10 coregonines and one salmonine. The lake whitefish, the lake herring, and the lake trout were most abundant.Man's activities have caused great changes in the lake in the past 120 years. Although changes in water chemistry and in the lower biota have been generally modest (except locally), those in salmonid communities have been vast. Exploitation, exotic fish species (especially the sea lamprey and alewife), and accelerated eutrophication and other pollution, all have played a role in bringing about the modifications (mostly marked declines in abundance) in salmonid communities.Commercial exploitation was largely responsible for the changes in the salmonid communities before the invasion of the lamprey (1936), although eutrophication and other pollution, and alterations of spawning streams, also were important. The lamprey and alewife (first reported in 1949), however, have exerted a greater impact than the other factors in recent decades.

Evaluating alternative harvest policies for yellow perch in southern Lake Michigan

“…Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are ecologically important given their intermediate role in the aquatic food web and economically important given their contribution to Lake Michigan fisheries since the late 1800s (Wells and McLain, 1972;Wells, 1977). They are a shared resource in Lake Michigan, spanning the boundaries of four U.S. states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan), each of which has management jurisdiction over its own waters (Fig.…”

Predicting the effects of rainbow smelt on native fishes in small lakes: evidence from long-term research on two lakes

“…In recent years, many North American lakes have been invaded by exotic and native fishes that have expanded their range (Crossman 1991). Species invasions have played an especially important role in restructuring fish communities in the Laurentian Great Lakes (Wells and McLain 1972;Crowder 1980Crowder , 1986Kitchell and Crowder 1986) as well as smaller inland lakes (Colby et al1987;Crossman 1991). A particular Great Lakes exotic, the rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), has been introduced or has invaded many smaller lakes in the upper Great Lakes region in Canada (Franzin et al 1994) and the United States, and native fish species have suffered as a result (Evans and Loftus 1987;Colby et al1987;Evans and Waring 1987).…”

Evidence of Wild Juvenile Lake Trout Recruitment in Western Lake Michigan

“…Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Lake Michigan once supported the world's largest commercial fishery for Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush, but in the 1950s all populations in Lake Michigan and in most other Great Lakes were extirpated due to predation by Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus and overfishing (Wells and McLain 1972;Holey et al 1995;Hansen 1999). In 1960, the U.S.…”